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Category: Moto GP
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- Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne scores two podium finishes
- Shakey moves into a Showdown position
- Glenn Irwin injured following a crash on Friday
Two podium finishes at Knockhill from Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne brought some good news for his Be Wiser Ducati team after they suffered a bad start to the weekend when Glenn Irwin crashed out of the first Friday session at the Arnold Clarke chicane.
Irwin, who won the North West 200 in his last race on board his Ducati Panigale R, suffered a ‘suspected dislocated shoulder and elbow' and has returned home for rest and further treatment.
Race 1
Starting from the front of the second row, Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne’s race could have easily been all over at the first corner. Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing) ran in too hot at Duffus Dip with Shakey having to avoid clipping the Honda rider’s rear wheel, subsequently moving the Be Wiser Ducati Team rider several positions down in to 7th place.
By half race distance Shakey was up into 4th and starting to pressure O’Halloran for 3rd, eventually making a move in the inside into Taylor’s Hairpin and finishing behind Jake Dixon (RAF Regular and Reserves Kawasaki) and Luke Mossey (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) for a valuable podium position.
John ‘Hopper’ Hopkins (Moto Rapido Ducati) had started towards the rear of the grid in 18th after suffering technical issues during qualifying. But the American made several passes on the opening laps as he cut his way through the field and was running up in 9th by half race distance. Bradley Ray (Buildbase Suzuki) then crashed out while making a pass on Sylvain Guintoli (Bennetts Suzuki) meant an impressive 7th place finish.
Race 2
Shakey got a clean getaway as the lights went out for the second race of the day at Knockhill, holding on to his 5th place grid position. A couple of laps later he had got the better of Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) into Taylor’s Hairpin for 4th. By 1/3 race distance the Be Wiser Ducati Team rider had passed Mossey and was now in 3rd, a position he held for almost half the race.
On Lap 23 of 30, Dixon took 3rd from Shakey on his charge to his second win of the day. But Shakey was not to be outdone and capitalised on the penultimate lap when Mossey went wide at Taylor’s Hairpin, taking 3rd from him again and claiming his second podium finish of the day.
Hopper had a much-improved grid position for Race 2, starting mid-pack in 11th. Sadly, the Moto Rapido Ducati rider suffered a lack of rear grip throughout his race - halting any progress and denying him an improvement on his earlier 7th place finish. Hopper passed the chequered flag in 17th.
Shakey now stands 3rd in the British Superbike Championship with 90 points, while his Be Wiser Ducati teammate Glenn Irwin (absent following his Friday crash) moves out of the Top 6 down to 9th with 63 points. Hopper is currently 14th with 31 points.
Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati #67) – 3rd “It’s been a very difficult weekend. Incredibly difficult. It was only until morning Warm Up today that I got to within 1 tenth to the time I did here last year. So, in some ways I guess you could say we’ve taken a step backwards which is really frustrating because I know how much effort the guys have put in and how hard I’ve tried this weekend.
We’ve just not been there this weekend. We’ve been thereabouts in lap times and we’ve been top of the time sheets but from a feeling point of view it just hasn’t been right. We’ve searched and searched and searched. We’ve probably made more changes this weekend then we do in 3 or 4 normal race weekends put together. We’ve had new forks in, we’ve had different pivot positions, we’ve had different offsets in it, we’ve had different springs in it. We’ve done literally everything and combinations of all of those as well. There’s no lack of effort from the boys and certainly no lack of effort from me. I feel like I’ve done two 24 hour races back to back. I never get tired riding this bike and I train really hard to make sure I’m always fit and always strong and I’ve trained especially hard just lately.
We’ve certainly got work to do, the other bikes appear to be a little more agile at these tight and twisty tracks than ours is. That said, going forward, we’ve got ourselves into the Showdown now, we got some podium credits, we’ve come away with two podiums on a bad day and we got a good run of tracks coming up for us and we can look forward to them and try and get ourselves back on the top step again.”
John ‘Hopper’ Hopkins (Moto Rapido Ducati #21) – 17th “I did the best I could in Race 1, we ended up finishing 7th and from where we started I was pretty happy with that. Knowing our pace and what we could achieve here and the level of the bike and so forth I really felt like we could get a podium here.
Race 2, I got off the line horribly, did a little bit of a stutter and then we ended up having some rear grip issue. I literally had no rear grip from the beginning of the race. I was skating into corners, sliding up every corner. And that combined with my hand – my breaking and throttle hand – on a circuit like this I literally could not hang on anymore. I stayed out in the chance that people would unfortunately DNF so we could salvage some points… I was hoping to get our season underway properly here, we’re going to have to roll that onto the next round and do well there. I’m still really confident we can make the showdown.”
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ESPARGARÓ AND LOWES CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE THE PROGRESS SHOWN IN THE FIRST RACES
The first Italian MotoGP round is an event not to be missed for Italian fans. Aprilia, playing on their home turf, intends to confirm the positive trend shown in the first part of the season with a good result. An important result seems to be within a shout, given the clear progress that the RS-GP machines demonstrated in the first races compared with last year, the Italian V4's début year in the premier category. The sixth place finish in Qatar, the ninth place in Jerez, but especially the race pace shown on several occasions are an excellent start for the Tuscan race.
Aleix Espargaró will take on Mugello with renewed ambitions after just missing a great result in the last race at Le Mans. Prepared by two days of testing in Barcelona, the Italian GP is the perfect chance for the Spanish rider to make it to the positions that count.
For Sam Lowes, the Italian weekend began earlier than usual, with a spectacular procession astride his RS-GP along the charming streets of the historic centre in Florence. The event this morning was certainly a unique change to hear the sound of the Aprilia V4 off the track, even rumbling through the streets and by the monuments that have written the pages of our civilization. The Aprilia Racing Team Gresini rookie, after taking his first championship points in France, has set his sights on a top 10 position in the standings. This is a difficult challenge, but he is encouraged by the excellent job he had done so far together with the team, as well as by his positive sensations in recent rounds.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"After the recent tests in Barcelona, I am even more motivated here at Mugello. It is definitely a very special race for us. Aprilia is playing on home turf and I really want to get back to earning important points. We have shown that we are at a good level, especially in the race. Now we need to confirm the hard work we have done on the track in this first part of the season."
SAM LOWES
"I can't wait to race at Mugello. I have had a lot of good results on this track and I have always managed to be fast. The feelings are positive. I feel like the team and I are working in the right direction and we are ready for another step forward. Especially in Aprilia's home round."
ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
“Mugello is our home race and it is a circuit that both of our riders really like. The recent tests have helped us to further understand the way the bike works with different settings, both electronics and chassis architecture. Compared with last year, we have taken huge steps forward in terms of handling and this is progress that should let us be more competitive this weekend. I hope to be able to celebrate a good result on Sunday and maybe have a pinch more luck than in recent races.”
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"Mugello is our first home race and Italian teams are always quite motivated here. There are high expectations to do well and we really want to bring home a good result. We are working well and we have already demonstrated that we have the potential to aim for important goals. Aleix is positive and full of energy. Same is improving his approach race after race and the team is working to give them full support. Now all that's left is to wait for the response on the track."
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Please find below an obituary for Nicky Hayden issued by the Hayden family.
Nicholas “Nicky” Hayden passed away on Monday, May 22, 2017, at the age of 35, following a May 17 bicycle accident in Italy.
Born into a large extended Catholic family in Owensboro, Kentucky, Nicky was the middle child of Earl and Rose Hayden, with two brothers and two sisters. The entire family loved motorcycles, and shortly after he could walk, Nicky declared that his dream was to be a world champion. Although life on a farm meant that animals - horses, pot-belly pigs, even llamas - were a part of every day, for Nicky they were just novelties and while he was a natural athlete, childhood sports leagues were little more than a lark. Racing - for the whole family, but especially for Nicky - was everything. Apart from an annual spring-break jaunt to Panama City, Florida, family trips were to racetracks, first around the Midwest, then the Eastern U.S., and eventually the entire country.
That said, there was never any doubt about where home was. Even after he began traveling the globe to race in exotic locales, Nicky would always return to his beloved “OWB.” He received his education through local Catholic schools - Precious Blood Elementary School, Owensboro Catholic Middle School and Owensboro Catholic High School - and his first jobs comprised helping out at his uncles’ nearby farms, where he began developing the tenacious work ethic for which he would be known throughout his racing career. He remained close with his core group of childhood friends throughout his life, and he helped many young local racers to pursue their own dreams.
For Nicky, a distinguished amateur dirt track and road racing career transitioned into a successful stint in the AMA Grand National Championship and AMA Superbike series, in which he earned the 1999 AMA Supersport and 2002 AMA Superbike crowns with American Honda. He was promoted to the FIM MotoGP series with Repsol Honda, for whom he achieved his dream of earning the World Championship in 2006. Nicky also rode for Ducati and Aspar Racing in MotoGP, and last year he transitioned to the FIM Superbike World Championship with the Ten Kate squad. Along the way, his charisma earned him legions of fans the world over, while his dedication and professionalism earned the respect and admiration of his teams, teammates and competitors.
Among those who knew him best, Nicky was cherished for his generosity, kindness, and mischievous sense of humour. His famous grin was never far from his lips and he invariably had time to engage with others, even strangers. The life of any party, Nicky loved to dance, wear funny costumes, and pull pranks, often with a microphone in hand.
Throughout it all, family was Nicky’s anchor. Many Americans who race internationally opt to relocate overseas, but Nicky always preferred to return home between events. Well into his professional career, he resided in an apartment above his parents’ garage, and even after purchasing his own home nearby, he religiously showed up for his mother’s 6 o’clock dinners when he wasn’t traveling. Several years ago, he purchased and refurbished an old building on an Owensboro lake, and what he dubbed Victory Lane Lodge became the family’s preferred location for functions of all types, from Sunday get-togethers to weddings. He loved children and was a model uncle, and friends and family say he was never happier than after meeting girlfriend Jackie, with whom he became engaged last year.
Nicky is survived by his parents Earl and Rose; his siblings Tommy, Jennifer, Roger, and Kathleen; his fiancée Jacqueline Marin; nieces Olivia, Klaudia, Vera, Kyla Jo, and Kate; nephew Colt; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. CT Sunday at Haley-McGinnis Funeral Home in Owensboro. Funeral services will be at noon Monday at St. Stephen Cathedral Church, and will be streamed live on Nicky’s facebook fan page. Donations may be made to the Nicky Hayden Memorial Fund, which helps local children in the community Nicky loved so much.
www.nickyhayden.com
www.facebook.com/NickyHaydenUSA/
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POSITIVE RACE FOR SAM LOWES WHO EARNS HIS FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
In the midst of an exciting comeback ride that had taken him from the 18th spot on the starting grid all the way to eighth place, Aleix Espargaró was forced to throw in the towel just five laps from the end due to a breakdown - currently being investigated by the team - that shut down the V4 on his RS-GP.
It was a race that, even with the unlucky outcome, confirms all of his value and that of his Aprilia that had never had a similar problem in two seasons and that had served him so well, allowing him to catch up position by position and lap at increasingly interesting times. As has happened in the past, the second half of the race was becoming the hunting grounds for Aleix, motivated to reap those results that had seemed to be within reach on several occasions in this first part of the season. Even in the morning Warm Up session, Espargaró had ridden an RS-GP that seemed more and more convincing just behind the leaders.
And so it was Sam Lowes who brought home points for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, finishing thirteenth after a race that fully confirmed the progress the English rider had demonstrated throughout the French weekend.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"It was a difficult race. Starting so far back does not make things easy. Battling for the top 10 demands maximum concentration. I have to give 100% the entire weekend. In the race I was competitive. After overtaking Miller I was making up ground on Lorenzo and lapping very fast but unfortunately the engine failed just a few laps from the end. A real disappointment. We are working much better than our position in the standings would lead to believe. Unfortunately, this is part of racing. The team and I will continue to give 100% and to work nonstop as we have up to now."
SAM LOWES
"Besides the position today, the gap from the top 10 is important, as it has narrowed compared to the last races. Obviously we need to keep improving. The difficulties were foreseeable because we are in MotoGP, but things are moving in the right direction. I felt good in the race. Only toward the end did I feel the tyre wear since I had to stress it more that some of the other riders who were ahead of me. With the tests next week, where we will have a lot to try, I hope that I'll be able to take another step forward before Mugello, a home race for Aprilia."
ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"The performance was definitely positive. Aleix was catching up steadily even if we paid the price in the race for less than brilliant qualifying. We need to improve this aspect as well as performance in the first part of the race. Overall, we had good performance here too and now we need to solidify that with results that are clearly within our potential. Sam did well, riding a good race this time in the mix with the others, demonstrating consistent progress throughout the weekend."
FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"Aleix was really riding a great race, decidedly solid. Unfortunately, he started too far back because of practice being conditioned so much by the weather and that kept us from being out front straight away. But he was doing a really important comeback ride. We have never had a problem like this, but these things happen in racing. Now we need to react because we are truly not far at all from the leaders."
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SAM LOWES FINISHES FP2 IN THE TOP TEN FOR THE FIRST TIME
The weather, traditionally unpredictable at Le Mans, conditioned the first day of free practice ahead of the French GP on Sunday.
The morning session (FP1) was characterized by the uncertain asphalt conditions which, initially wet, dried out gradually but without ever getting to the point of being able to use slicks or to conditions that would allow optimum use of rain tyres. In this situation, the Aprilia Racing Team Gresini riders preferred reducing their track time, finishing in 19th place with Lowes and 22nd with Espargaró, but putting in a total of just 15 laps.
In true wet conditions, the two riders took advantage of the second practice session (FP2) with Sam Lowes finishing in ninth place (at 1’42.988) and Aleix Espargaró in eleventh (1’43.177). For Lowes, this is his best placement in a session since his MotoGP début, a sign of the confidence that the English rider is gaining with the bike and the category. It is also a confidence booster in view of tomorrow's decisive sessions.
ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"This morning the track was in mixed conditions, so FP1 was not particularly useful. In the afternoon we were competitive enough in the wet. The new track surface provides good grip and I can't wait to try it when it's dry. Tomorrow it will be important to use our heads. We'll need to evaluate the track conditions and find the right time to use the slicks and push. It would be nice to go through to Q2, but if that doesn't happen, the important thing will be to work well in view of the race on Sunday."
SAM LOWES
"With the conditions this morning I did not feel particularly good, so we decided not to go out much. But in the wet I had a good feeling straight away with the RS-GP. Being in the top-10, even if it is in the rain, is an important step for me. Obviously I would like to maintain that position on a dry track too. It won't be easy, but already in Jerez, if we don't count the race, I had a good weekend. The important thing is to continue progressing and working hard."
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